How to VJ Manual

Hmm.. well, maybe not quite that, but at least somewhere to start if you're looking to get into PC-based VJing using Resolume. I thought I'd try a grand title to get your attention this time

We created this 30-odd page handbook last year for the Painting with Light courses we were running, and were going to develop it into a 'proper' book, but now realise we won't have time to do that this year.

So.. it's using Resolume 2.3 (current version is 2.4) but may still be of some use.

And please... don't pirate software. Bart and Edwin have put so much effort into making Resolume what it is. If you're going to use it at gigs, buy Resolume!

thanks for the workshop.
i'm going to read it soon (when i have a couple of day's of)
here in holland i've seen a group of artist doing something like it using light to paint. they let there audience play with several lamps and lightbulbs wich they filmed and projected on a big screen.

thanks for the workshop.
i'm going to read it soon (when i have a couple of day's of)
here in holland i've seen a group of artist doing something like it using light to paint. they let there audience play with several lamps and lightbulbs wich they filmed and projected on a big screen.

Click to expand...

Hey, that sounds very interesting. Could you give me some more info on painting with light?

The article was found at International DJ magazine online written by a
Ross Web.

The following is copy and paste as i felt had good advice for starters***************************************>

Want to get started as a VJ? Then step right this way! Ross Web of the Twisted Focus team kicks off our new VJing tutorial series...

VJing is one of the hottest things to get clubland pumping in years! Using visuals and creating immersive environments where clubbers can escape and find themselves has always been the intention of club culture, and adding VJing to the mix takes things to the next level. With new cheaper projectors, more powerful laptops, amazing software and the ability to hook them all together, VJing is exploding around the world.

In this series we are going to look at what is driving the growing VJ movement, with a focus on practical things you can do to get into this growing part of club culture. We are going to look at some of the top VJing applications such as ArKaos, as well showing you how to create your own clips and how to get hold of other people’s. Finally, I’ll be telling you what to expect on the night of your first gig and how to really make an impression on your audience.

Promoters have started to accept the idea of hiring VJs because clubbers remember the night as an amazing experience, and clubs are beginning to see the need to give clubbers a more intense clubbing experience. The Screen in Helsinki, Finland is one the top clubs for VJs to play, as the club focuses on the visuals as much as the music. It is run by Micko Iho, who believes that in order to be a great VJ you need to be resourceful with the materials, and understand the feelings of the crowd and your role in the club. He says a VJ should also understand how to cooperate with the light designers, since lighting is one of the most important things in a club after the DJs. VJs shouldn’t try to work on their own.

Indeed, one of the strengths Twisted Focus has had as a team is that one of our members has been a professional lighting engineer for 11 years. VJing isn’t just about technical expertise – you still need to work a crowd. When cooperating with the light designers, the effect of the breaks and more peaceful parts in the music can be much more intense than it might otherwise be. Micko believes the Screen’s success attests to this.

VJing - part 1 page 2
Even booking agents are starting to realise the potential of VJing. Dee Horton of the Excession agency says “a club night without visuals and a good VJ is like watching a movie without a soundtrack”. She feels audio and video belong together, and judging by the crowd response when working closely with a good DJ, we definitely agree. ArKaos are being very supportive of this tutorial series and, together with Twisted Focus, will be posting clips and VJ-specific files online for iDJ readers to download and start practising with. We’d encourage you to take what we give you and really start mixing them up. Who knows: you could be the Sasha of the VJ world!

What you need
To get going, we are going to assume you have access to a PC/Mac and the Internet. I will be showing you where to download clips, VJing software and more advanced editing techniques and tools. It would be a good idea to download a demo copy of ArKaos from www.arkaos.net and install it before next month’s tutorial. Its really easy and if you need any help, just email support@arkaos.net.

Remember, VJing is still in its infancy, and you will get the most out of it by being part of the growing community. A lot of that is online, and the scene is incredibly helpful. Get registered on the community side of www.vjcentral.com and contribute! Join forums.arkaos.net and ask questions. Remember, the more of your own work that you share, the more other VJs will share with you. A lot of VJs have built up their visual libraries by swapping clips. Even if it’s just some scenes shot with an old camera and scanned into PhotoShop, we all had to start somewhere. The real lesson here is just get started – don’t worry about trying to create professional movie quality clips yet.

In the future, more and more clubs will understand the importance of VJing and will invest in ever better equipment as the prices keep dropping. As many clubbers feel they’ve already heard the top DJs and been to the top clubs, club culture will invest in its future by giving clubbers what they have always wanted: a great escape into the night whilst being blown away with visuals intensifying the sounds we love so much.

Next month we are going to look at some of the top VJ software packages available and delve deeper into ArKaos and find out why it’s so hot in VJ circles. Oh, and don’t rush out to buy a digicam just yet – I’ll also be showing you some places to find great clips online.